Slow down, slow down the racehorse….
When I took art seriously in high school, my teacher, the grand old WW2 veteran would always tell me that the brain is a racehorse, with the hands being turtles. Must learn to slow down the racehorse
Slow down, hasten up….My life is real quick. No time for anything. Need to center myself.
We drove from Kenner to Baton Rouge to Alexandria to Beaumont to Corpus Christie to San Antonio. San Antonio, where I again saw the most beautiful women in the entire US of A that night. Walking on the Riverwalk was a breeze.
If I have anyone'e attention, I would implore you to explore the dirty life and times of Warren Zevon. His biography, written by his wife, Crystal Zevon, has recently been published. Entitled, “I'll Sleep When I'm Dead: The Dirty Life & Times of Warren Zevon”, we allegedly find out more about the mad-hatter than one might want to.
Been reading a bit more…or trying to at least. This go around it's The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test by Tom Wolfe and Chuck Palahnuik's newest book, Rant. I'm digging it because it's both classic sicko mindfuck world of Chuck but this time written with different ingredients. So many complain of his books all sounding the same; i.e all being written with a similar voice from a similar narrator. Think of Tyler Durden in Fight Club. His latest work, though, is a bit different because it is written in the form of an oral history. Which is pretty cool if you take the time to really read it.
Other than that, been drinking and smoking like John Wayne. Apparently John Wayne smoked 5 packs a day. So, if you consider that we spend 16 hours a day awake, that translates to one cigarette for every 3 minutes. I personally think it takes more than 3 minutes to smoke a cancer stick (usually)…but I guess there were no filters back then…
Right now I'm in Ithaca, NY, taking my youngest brother to his college orientation. Weird being asked by incoming undergraduate seniors (who are merely doing this orientation job for the free housing), “what major is your son/daughter majoring in?” Honestly!
Something which I realise I've taken for granted is personal time. Splendid Isolation. Whereas in the past I've had ample time to sit and moan and converse and read and rant and fuck-off I've now only a few hot moments each passing day to myself. Always having to be all smiles and such. Better though, I guess.
I'm researching jobs working on teaching english in Japan, and also job with the Discovery Channel and National Geographic. I want to have upwards of three opportunities come October 21st, when this whole travelling circus gig is over. Definitely been learning a lot on conflict resolution. 9 people travelling together for 7 months. Shit's bound to blow up. Especially with me hanging around, with my shit already fucked up to begin with.
Found this thing I wrote at the registration table outside of Baton Rouge one morning. People giving me leery looks as I attack a piece of paper with a permanent marker:
“LA – Alexandrian swamp – dragonflies – like dinosaur ancestors or leftovers not sure – N. Orleans – NoLA – Hurricanes & hand grenades – Pat O' Briens – The 9th Ward – Jambalaya/ etoufee – thick air – parishes not counties – Napoleonic Code – crawdaddies – trumpets – Creole – Fleur de Lis – so many beautiful women in the thick air – Everywhere I go – Memphis – Sun Studios – Peabody – Steve Cropper – The Levee Broke – No Flood insurance – raining everyday in the early afternoon – heading towards Beaumont, TX – Beck's Guerrito – J. Cash's “Straight A's in Love” – Work on your Audi project – Treat Her Right – Hope Nebel is well – Will I make it until October? – Movie Quotes – “And a Good day to you sir!” “Hill 364!”; “People say, oh David, youre the best boss, I say….yeahhhh”; “Have it your way, dude”; – All racing along the southern spine of this larger patriotic expanse of land
– Louisiana is divided into parishes not counties, and Napoleonic Code rules. Land = Rights.
– Although N.Orleans did get hit by Katrian, what caused the most damage was the fact that the levee broke along the 9th Ward. People were not allowed to buy flood insurance by living on this land, and that was what made it so cheap, however dangerous.
– Cash has a great song called “Straight A's in Love” –
“Oh, my grades were low / By my card I know
But they ought to give me one above
If I made my marks / for learnin' in the dark
I'd have straight A's in love”
What else what else…going to see Cayuga falls today, drive back to NJ tomorrow, then to the beach until the 2nd, then drive to Newark, then fly down to Nashville until the 5th…then fly into Dallas on the 5th and continue stomping around America.
Here's a pic of my associates in Memphis.
“Here's an example of the kind of work we do around here” – Daaaaaaavid Brent!
Bidding thee Adieu from Ithaca (which by the way is Gorges)
-KTM
Addenum: How weird it was to walk around the campus center of Ithaca, having finally done-been-done with university for a bit over a year now. We all know how it always is the case that you seem to view your past with 20/20 vision – and this was a classic example. Imagine the smell of a dank classroom, with faint smells of latex and detergent. It brought back a busload of images and memories for me, much like how songs do.
I'm done with school at the moment. There's a million ways to learn a million different things. I am making sure my life is colourful most often, dirty at times (fo' shizzle), and sour just enough to make you appreciate every sandwich. Even wish sandwiches
“You took him lord, just as you took so many bright flowering men…at Kaison….Longuedoc…Hill 364!!!!” – Walter – The Big Lebowski
“I don't give shitty jobs…if a good man comes to me and says 'David i'm looking to better myself in the work related arena', then I can make that dream come true AKA for you. Now you talk the talk, but do you walk the walk – vis-a-vis…you havent' passed your forklift drivers test yet…fortunately for you, the man who runs the warehouse IS a personal friend of mine!” – Ricky Gervais playing David Brent (the first scene of the show…classic) from BBC's version of The Office
“Who you callin' a psycho?!” – Woody Harrelson, Kingpin
Late For Antiquity! 